Providing GBZ LED Status by using Fiber Optics

[dirtybeagles]

Had to go fishing to find this thread again. My fiber came in. This is gonna work!

I was thinking of potting these fibers at the top area near the switch or the side. Are u just going to glue them together in a bundle? Also, are you going to use all the LEDs in the power connect?

[SidSilver]

What about a translucent power switch plastic button, you glue the fibers behind it, on the actual electrical switch so they make the button glow.
The problem is to find the translucent button.

Optic Fiber is very fun, I've just bought some from your link Popcorn

[Fleder]

What about a translucent power switch plastic button, you glue the fibers behind it, on the actual electrical switch so they make the button glow.
The problem is to find the translucent button.

Optic Fiber is very fun, I've just bought some from your link Popcorn

There are plenty of 3D Printing forums where users offer their services.
Just ask one of them to get yourself a perfectly fitting translucent switch
Of course, they have to own a translucent ABS or PLA filament.

[Fox]

What about a translucent power switch plastic button, you glue the fibers behind it, on the actual electrical switch so they make the button glow.
The problem is to find the translucent button.

Optic Fiber is very fun, I've just bought some from your link Popcorn

I'm not sure, but I think the clear Game Boys had clear switches. To make it translucent, lightly sand the surface of the switch to turn it white: That should diffuse the light.

[Quatrerwin]

I'm not sure, but I think the clear Game Boys had clear switches. To make it translucent, lightly sand the surface of the switch to turn it white: That should diffuse the light.

Kitsch-bent sells the clear buttons including clear power switch. I just got mine from them. I'm going to use it with a rectangular rgb led (mounted next to the switch) to display power status.

http://store.kitsch-bent.com/product/custom-buttons

[Popcorn]

Just some notes as I'm' going through this.. One important discovery: hot glue and this plastic fiber stuff are not compatible. The hot glue actually melts the fiber. I've had to resort to warm glue, not hot glue. Meaning, unplugging the glue gun and using it while it's in the process of cooling off. Also, it's impossible to position the fiber perpendicular to the LED and hold it until it drys without losing your position. So far the best method is to lay it flat across the board and get the light source from the side of the LED. I was able to get 3 LEDs this way.

[SidSilver]

I was thinking of a sort of fixation support, so the fiber is held by the support, maybe with some help of electrical tape, and the support itself is hotglued.
Maybe if you can found a little plastic L square, with a pin hole to put the fiber through.

[Fleder]

This is the time where my 3D Printing Pen might come in handy.
Maybe i can paint some kind of support and use superglue to hold it all in place.

[Kilren]

Just some notes as I'm' going through this.. One important discovery: hot glue and this plastic fiber stuff are not compatible. The hot glue actually melts the fiber. I've had to resort to warm glue, not hot glue. Meaning, unplugging the glue gun and using it while it's in the process of cooling off. Also, it's impossible to position the fiber perpendicular to the LED and hold it until it drys without losing your position. So far the best method is to lay it flat across the board and get the light source from the side of the LED. I was able to get 3 LEDs this way.

For this project, I stole my wife's hot glue gun. It's a nice one because it's a low-temp hot glue gun. The gun and the glue are made to operate at lower temps. Might be a solution.

Also, if the optic fibers don't work, I was really fascinated by an idea of wermy's to use the teensy to control leds. I remember reading a post with his idea, but I don't recall where.

Maybe he'll chime in? @wermy

[wermy]

For this project, I stole my wife's hot glue gun. It's a nice one because it's a low-temp hot glue gun. The gun and the glue are made to operate at lower temps. Might be a solution.

Also, if the optic fibers don't work, I was really fascinated by an idea of wermy's to use the teensy to control leds. I remember reading a post with his idea, but I don't recall where.

Maybe he'll chime in? @wermy

Yep, I had thought about taking the LED solder points on the powerboost, and wiring those up to some inputs on the Teensy. Then, you could use a few analog outputs on the teensy and control an RGB LED (similar to this one: http://www.mouser.com/ProductDetail/Kin ... aQod5r0Bmg ). The Teensy could read the PowerBoost LED states and change colors on the RGB LED depending on what combination of LEDs are lit (i.e low power but charging, fully charged, etc.). My only concern was whether or not wiring up the PowerBoost LEDs directly to some inputs on the Teensy would be too much for it to handle (which might be as simple as adding some resistors), I haven't had time to play with that yet. I think the idea should work though!